Mamata Banerjee to hit streets tomorrow on chitfund scam

KOLKATA: Seeking to prevent the opposition from cashing in on the Saradha chitfund scam, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will hit the streets tomorrow to shift the blame to her predecessors and project the action taken by her government against the 'legacy' of '70s and '80s.

"The chitfunds are a legacy of Bengal from the 70's and 80's. For all these years, CPI(M) and Congress turned the other way .... Now, they cannot pretend to be angels," Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien told PTI here.

"The swift action taken by the government since Sudipta Sen's arrest is proof enough how serious it is to rid Bengal of the menace," the TMC Rajya Sabha member said.

"Mamata Banerjee, as her style, will lead from the front to communicate this message across Bengal and stand by those who have been swindled," he said.

Banerjee will address a rally at Shyambazar in north Kolkata tomorrow followed by another one at Panihati in North 24 Parganas district on May four.

Party sources said Banerjee will also highlight the importance of the new anti-chit fund bill passed in the assembly yesterday to the people.

She will also address a party meeting here on May three and might spell out the strategy following the alleged involvement of some TMC leaders in the Saradha Group scam.

Banerjee has already said action will be taken by the government and the party if any partyman was found involved in the scam.

Banerjee has also blamed the Centre saying chit funds were controlled by it and the state has no role.